Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm started posting here back in 2010 as a way not only to point common grammar and usage errors, but also as a way to dive deeper into them myself herself and learn precisely the correct way of using our English language.

Over the years, Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm has taken on a life of her own. Sometimes she’s bossy. Sometimes she’s cranky.

Here are some of her greatest hits. Feel free to shout out other errors you’d like to see her tackle!

Loose vs. Lose

Loose: Not fitting tightly. Relaxed.

Lose: Cease to have something; misplace an object.

These two words are commonly used incorrectly.

SENTENCES

Correct: I never fail to lose my keys.
Incorrectly: I never fail to loose my keys.

Correct: The loser of this match will not advance to the finals.
Incorrect: The looser of this match will not advance to the finals.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect: Verb. To have influence on. To have an effect on.

Effect: Noun. A change that is a result or consequence of a cause.

These two words are commonly swapped incorrectly.

SENTENCES

Correct:The cloudy weather continued to negatively affect her mood.Incorrect: The cloudy weather continued to negatively effect her mood.

Correct:Serious addiction can leave a lasting effect on one’s friends and family.Incorrect: Serious addiction can leave a lasting affect on one’s friends and family.

(Note that while “affect” can be used as a noun (usually in psychology) and “effect” can be used as a verb (as in “we wanted to effect [bring about] change”) for the purposes of this lesson, we’re dealing with “affect” as a verb and “effect” as a noun.)

Insure vs. Ensure

Insure: Verb. Arrange, through payments to a company or agency, for future compensation in the event of damage to or loss of property, injury, or death.

Ensure: Verb. Make sure something will be the case.

The word insure is often incorrectly used in place of ensure. Understandably so—both words have to do with “making sure” or “making certain.” Insure, however, generally refers to a specific financial arrangement one enters into with a company in order to protect against future loss, while ensure is more of an “assurance” (to confuse you further!) that something will be the case.

SENTENCES

Correct: She made plans to insure both her home and barn against fire and flood damage.Incorrect: She made plans to ensure both her home and barn against fire and flood damage.

Correct: The TSA has procedures in place to ensure the safety of the American flying public.Incorrect: The TSA has procedures in place to insure the safety of the American flying public. (This is the most common type of error.)

Combo Platter: The father resolved to insure the home in order to ensure that his family would be taken care of if disaster struck.

Wary vs. Weary

SENTENCES

The cat was wary of most people who came into the house.
The cat was weary after a long day of chasing mice.

Correct: Because she’d been burned before, the woman was very wary of entering into any more business partnerships.Incorrect: Because she’d been burned before, the woman was very weary of entering into any more business partnerships.

SUMMARY

Phase vs. Faze

Phase: |fāz| (noun) – a distinct period or stage in a process. “She is in the final phase of her divorce.”

Faze: |fāz| (verb) – to disturb or disconcert. “Curiously, her impending divorce did not seem to faze her.”

Phase is often incorrectly used in place of faze.

SENTENCES

Correct: After the terrible year he’d had, a measly flat tire wasn’t about to faze him. Incorrect:After the terrible year he’d had, a measly flat tire wasn’t about to phase him.

Correct:The teacher’s thirty years of experience rendered her unfazed by the student’s bad behavior. Incorrect:The teacher’s thirty years of experience rendered her unphased by the student’s bad behavior.

In closing:

Phase = a stageFaze = to disturb

Pore vs. Pour

Pore: |pôr| (verb) – to be absorbed in the reading or study of. “She’s going to pore over the documents all weekend.”

Pour: |pôr| (verb) – to cause liquid to flow from a container in a steady stream. “She’s going to pour the iced tea into the glass.”

Pour is often incorrectly used in place of pore in the phrases “pore over” or “poring over.”

RaDonna Murner On Monday, April 14 at 8:37 am

Alanna On Monday, April 14 at 10:29 am

Ooohhhh, SEEN. Can.Not.Stand it. I have even had people type that in an email to me or on Facebook. OMG makes me want to scream!

3

Marie in Vermont On Monday, April 14 at 8:59 am

How about there, their and they’re?

4

Tina On Monday, April 14 at 9:00 am

Peek/Peak/Pique.

Pam S On Monday, April 14 at 10:13 am

Yes! I see these words used incorrectly so often and it irritates me, especially in books. Don’t editors have to have a good grasp of the English language before becoming editors?

5

Erin D On Monday, April 14 at 9:03 am

Using the possessive as plural – UGH!!! I see this everywhere – so much so that I am convinced it’s now taught in school. Example: I have three dog’s, two cat’s and a bird. (head banging on desk). Saw a sign last week for a lenten fish fry. It read, “This weeks special – fish taco’s!” No apostrophe on the ‘weeks’ but one on ‘tacos.’ Drives me batty -

Marie in Vermont On Monday, April 14 at 9:24 am

This drives me crazy, also. It’s an epidemic, getting worse and worse. I try to correct my grandchildren and give the explanation of possessive vs plural, but I swear they have no idea what I’m trying to convey.

dobes h. On Monday, April 14 at 10:57 am

Man I just posted this exact same thing too lol! Then I saw your post… I think they must teach it this way now because you see it ALL OVER! And in stores on posters where you’d think they’d take pains to have correct grammar, right??!

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Julie G On Monday, April 14 at 9:12 am

I have a few pet peeves with not just spelling, but in speech as well. How about the word realtor. I know SO many people that say “REEL uh tuhr” rather than “REEL tuhr” or “REEL tor” and that drives me bananas.

I have two more to add. The first is “soar” vs. “sore.” Soar meaning to fly and sore, an adjective meaning tender or painful to touch, or a noun meaning a wound. A bird will soar above the trees. After running today, my muscles were sore. The second is “waist” vs. “waste.” Waist meaning your midsection above your hips. Waste meaning to use thoughtlessly or careslessly, or trash. I wish I could get lose another inch or two in my waist. The second would be courtesy of my mother: “Do not waste your food–there are starving children that woud love to have it”–which would be why I could stand to lose a few inches in my waist.

Becky On Monday, April 14 at 10:19 am

The first is just differences in dialect, and it’s silly to think that one way is the correct way. I always do a double-take when I hear pasta pronounced with an “a” like in “sad” but that’s just how many British accents pronounce it. Or when Brits say “jag-oo-ar” for jaguar. There is no one standard dialect.

Julie G On Monday, April 14 at 10:35 am

I guess we’ll agree to disagree. I could see why they would pronouce the ‘u’ in jaguar since it IS actually there. For realtor, I don’t consider it a dialect issue as there isn’t an a additional letter between ‘real’ and ‘tor’ — I guess that’s why it’s bugs me, as it is just two syllables.

LynneW On Monday, April 14 at 11:46 am

I agree with Julie here. If you pay attention to how the word is spelled you can pronounce it correctly as in “nu-cu-lar” vs “nuclear”. I think it’s just a matter of studying the spellings and not falling into a false pronunciation. Something like “anyways” vs “anyway” may be a regional difference.

Alice E On Monday, April 14 at 3:28 pm

I can see both sides of this. Regional usage can vary, for instance that Bostonian habit of dropping the ‘r’ off the end of words only to add it to others who don’t end in ‘r’. And spelling doesn’t always help, for example Worcestershire as it the sauce.

Jenny On Monday, April 14 at 3:34 pm

I have a Southern accent, and when I pronounce “realtor,” it sounds like “re-ahl-tor,” just as I pronounce “real” as “re-ahl.” I have to make an effort to make the words sound like “reel.” (Also, “reel”–as in rod and reel–also comes out sounding like “re-ehl.”)

mctrot On Monday, April 14 at 5:17 pm

I can’t agree with Becky on “reator” either. Changing the word from “real-to”r to “ree-la-tor” is mispronunciation, just as changing “nuclear” to “nuculer” is (one of my pet peeves)Another is pronouncing “potable” (long o sound) meaining safe to drink as “pottable (short o sound) meaining can be put into a pot.

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Bonnie M On Monday, April 14 at 9:17 am

No addition to the words list*. Just a comment stating that the ‘Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm’ isn’t old at all ——- if you doubt my theory, simply check out the sentences regarding chaps (Affect vs. Effect).
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……….I wonder….. to whose chaps is the Schoolmarm is referring? ( I think I messed up there. Should be ‘to whom’s chaps is the Schoolmarm referring?) Help!!
*And, bam! I’ve got something to add to the list!
Whose vs. Who’s
Hope your day is filled with a multitude of Blessings.
xoxo,
~Bon

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Kaye B On Monday, April 14 at 9:17 am

Keep up the good work!! Amazing the way words are used incorrectly.

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Li'l Bee On Monday, April 14 at 9:27 am

Why has the spelling of the exclamation “whoa” suddenly become “woah”? Maybe I’m missing some pop culture reference, but when I see “woah,” it rhymes with “Noah.” Just doesn’t work for me.

Julie G On Monday, April 14 at 10:40 am

I haven’t seen that one, but I have seen “Yea!” turned into “Yeah!” or the slang for yes. I have the Schoolhouse Rock collection on DVD, and my daughter was surprised to learn that ‘yeah’ wasn’t how to spell ‘yea’ from the interjection one.

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Jane B. On Monday, April 14 at 9:41 am

One I just learned (and at age 67, that’s embarrassing!) is that “impact” is a noun, not a verb. All my professional life I have heard that such-and-such impacts blah-blah-blah. Now I find out it should be such-and-such MAKES AN IMPACT ON blah-blah-blah. Very interesting!

Terry in CA On Monday, April 14 at 10:48 am

Don’t feel badly, Jane. I’ve noticed over the last two decades that we are converting more and more nouns into verbs, as with your example of “impact”. It’s become “common usage”.

Speaking of common usage, I wonder sometimes what archeologists a thousand years from now will make of the initials we use instead of words. e.g. “LOL” was the an ancient god of levity, regularly honored, and invoked in daily communication.

This leads me to two that bother me: 1. using “i.e.” where we mean “e.g.”;
2. complimentary/complementary. I have read that “men and women should have complimentary roles in a relationship”, and while I think complimenting your spouse is a very good plan for marital harmony, I do believe they mean complementary, where together they make a whole.

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Kelley Teitsworth On Monday, April 14 at 9:53 am

How about then vs. than?
I don’t know why this is so difficult for so many.

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Pam S On Monday, April 14 at 10:11 am

Voila vs Viola. I know it’s really a spelling issue, but it drives me crazy/makes me laugh (depending on my mood) every time I see it used incorrectly.

Sue On Monday, April 14 at 10:49 am

I agree, and it’s even more distressing to see people write “walla” or “wah lah” in place of voila. I try to assume it is an attempt at humour when I see it in a facebook post but am afraid it might not always be intentionally silly.

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LaFern On Monday, April 14 at 10:25 am

Oh my gosh! You have hit on every grammar mistake a lot of my family and friends use that just drives me crazy! I always loved grammar when I was in school and made A’s in the classes so I guess I notice it a bit more. Of course I would never correct anyone but sometimes I surely would love to!

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Alanna On Monday, April 14 at 10:31 am

My Dad has a saying, “When it’s its, it isn’t.” He thinks it helps figure out the possessive it’s versus the verb. It just confuses me more. I am not even sure that I did it right just now when typing it!!

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d lawless On Monday, April 14 at 10:48 am

This was hilarious.. I have found myself picking apart my kids grammar and their written essays ect.. with all 5 of my kids.. funny stuff.. Thanks!

Darlene On Tuesday, June 10 at 10:16 am

Here is another common error: ect. Should be etc. which is short for et cetera

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Julie On Monday, April 14 at 10:49 am

than & then…I have more ice cream then you! Incorrect! Do I need to post the correct?

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dobes h. On Monday, April 14 at 10:56 am

I would love to see the schoolmarm address the rather alarming but all too prevalent habit of using an apostrophe to indicate the pleural. Example: Kitten’s for sale. It creeps me out!

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Becky On Monday, April 14 at 11:16 am

The misuse of bought and brought drives me!!!

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Becky On Monday, April 14 at 11:21 am

Capitol vs. capital

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Michelle W On Monday, April 14 at 11:44 am

It drives me nuts when I hear people used “orientated” when it should be “oriented”. As in ” she is really detail orientated person” – no, she is a detail oriented person! And I’ve heard this from college-educated management types who really should know better.

Michelle, I heard that they can be used interchangeably, but orientated is more common in England/Europe. Orientate/orientated sounds pretentious to me, but to each his own. I’m with you.

Yoga Mom On Friday, April 25 at 12:40 am

They are and can be used interchangeably, however in American dialect they have distinct preferred meanings. If you find yourself in another English speaking country, then the meanings may change. Also, it is interesting to note that “orientate” came into usage after the word “orient”.

For American English speakers, the following can be used as a guide.

Orientate (v.) = to face east.

Orient (v.) = 1)to align or position (something) relative to the points of a compass or other specified positions. example:”the fires are oriented in direct line with the midsummer sunset” 2) adjust or tailor (something) to specified circumstances or needs. example: “magazines oriented to the business community” 3) find one’s position in relation to new and strange surroundings.

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Kathy S On Monday, April 14 at 11:57 am

How about desert vs dessert

Marie in Vermont On Monday, April 14 at 1:36 pm

I always told my third grade classes that I would like two desserts, hence the two sses in dessert, to differentiate from being lost and lonely with one s in the desert. Make sense? Works for me, and I hope my former students!!

Kathy S On Monday, April 14 at 2:11 pm

Makes sense to me, good way of explaining to your students the difference of each word.

I haven’t seen anyone mention mistakes with “to” and “too”. I see that often. Another thing that bothers me that seems very common now is beginning a sentence with “Well” or “So”. Maybe it’s not technically wrong, it just seems to be unnecessary and poor writing. Also, I have a friend who writes long emails to me and never uses a period. She just keeps putting “…” so the whole email is one VERY long sentence. And finally, there is “Where are you at?” which drives me crazy! Okay, I think I’m done venting now! I hope I didn’t make any mistakes, I don’t want the Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm to scold me!

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Lynne On Monday, April 14 at 12:18 pm

My husband total hates it when bring/take is misused. Points it out every time he hears it. Now, if only I can convince him to quit using “no” when he means “any”.

Alice M On Monday, April 14 at 5:51 pm

I agree with your husband on bring vs. take. I see and hear this more and more. Like other posters have noted: It is often misused by people who should know better. ARGGHH!

The other thing that drives me crazy is bad punctuation. I just finished a book whose phrasing and punctuation were often horrible. I don’t know how many times I had to stop and reread sentences to understand what was meant versus what was printed. Where do I sign up to be an editor?

I try not to point these things out, but since it is a grammar post… Did you notice the incorrect usage in “affect”?

“Affect: Verb. To have influence on. To have an effect on.”

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dan's wife On Monday, April 14 at 2:32 pm

“He gave the cake to my husband and myself.”

“They had a dinner for my mother and I.”

People, sometimes it is correct to refer to onesself as me!

Dawne On Wednesday, April 16 at 9:34 am

Yes. This one always bugs me. I was taught to split it in 2 sentences if you’re unsure.
Correct: Do you want to go to the party with her and me?
Incorrect: Do you want to go to the party with she and I?
Do you want to go to the party with her?
Do you want to go to the party with me?

You would never say:
Do you want to go to the party with she?
Do you want to go to the party with I?

Darlene M. On Tuesday, June 10 at 10:45 am

Myself should only be used two ways.
1. Intensive (emphatic) pronoun. To emphasize (intensify).
Ex. I, myself, made that cake. I made that cake myself.
2. Reflexive pronoun. As to see in a mirror, the pronoun reflects back to the subject.
Ex. I hurt myself.
Incorrect: Give your paper to myself. Correct: Give your paper to me.
The pronoun “me” follows a preposition as it’s object.
Ex. …between you and me; …for me; …with me.

Darlene M. On Tuesday, June 10 at 11:00 am

Correction: The pronoun reflects its subject! (Not reflects back!)
The truth is that in most situations no one really cares about correct grammar. But I like it and enjoy knowing the best way to use words.

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AngAk On Monday, April 14 at 2:45 pm

an easy way to remember lose/loose is that you “lose” an “o” with lose.

and I have a dear friend who spells huge as hugh, every single time she writes it.

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Lorre M. On Monday, April 14 at 2:52 pm

How about when one is describing the complexion of a person. People often say she is light complected rather than light complexioned. I also notice some using the word “sleep” rather than “asleep”. For example, I was sleep when you called.

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Alice E On Monday, April 14 at 3:33 pm

It irritates me when I see the errors in a book I am reading. In one of them, the editor apparently didn’t know the difference between sown and sewn which really started me. But, I’ve also spotted other errors with there, they’re and their, or to and too.

Lara On Monday, April 14 at 4:21 pm

I go nuts when I see that! I feel that the editors are probably making some good money – they really ought to earn it!

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Chrisandra On Monday, April 14 at 3:34 pm

I have to admit that affect and effect have always been a problem for me! Thanks for the reminder and hopefully I’ll be able to remember which one is a verb and what one is a noun!

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Lara On Monday, April 14 at 4:17 pm

Definitely vs. defiantly. I just do NOT get why those two get confused!!! Clothes vs. cloths. The “e” makes the “o” say its name! I’ve noticed a lot of weary/wary confusion lately as well. Blech!

Gina J On Monday, April 14 at 5:23 pm

To, too, two
In fact, the question posted just below your Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm post, the writer gets this wrong. Too means also. I need help, too, to do this well. Which brings me to another one…
Well, good
Well describes HOW you do something. Good describes the thing. You don’t play good. You play well. (Athletes and sports commentators are horrible with this!) The game was good, the play was good. But you played well.

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mctrot On Monday, April 14 at 5:53 pm

One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is “lead” vs. “lead” vs. “led.”

Lead-noun-(short e sound)-a malleable metal. Shotgun pellets are made of lead

Lead-verb-(long e sound)-present tense-guide, show the way; bring a person or animal along. Lead your horse from the left side.

Led-verb-(short e sound)-past tense of lead. He led the Boy Scouts through a patch of poison ivy.

Oh and “effect” can be used as a verb, just not interchangeably with affect. Its definition as a verb: power to influence: success in bringing about a change in somebody or something, or the ability to achieve this
being in force or operation: the state of being in force or operation, or of being the case, often from a particular point in time

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Gail Schmitt On Monday, April 14 at 5:54 pm

I have seen educated people and even a newspaper misuse “wreak”, as in “wreak havoc”. They say, “wreck havoc”, which makes no sense. We don’t use the obsolete verb “wreak” for very much these days, so it’s unfamiliar to most people. I guess they go for the nearest word they recognize, which is “wreck”.

I have a problem with it’s and its at times not all the time but at different times I can’t figure out which is which

Pam S On Monday, April 14 at 6:22 pm

The way I always remember the difference between it’s and its is this: you use “it’s” ONLY if you could substitute “it is” in the same place in the sentence. If not, omit the apostrophe.

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Nikole C On Monday, April 14 at 6:08 pm

I kind of lose my mind when people use the word myself incorrectly when they should use me. Is this just a Kentucky thing? It seems to be rampant; I even hear it in radio commercials and professional speakers. They will say things like, “If you have any questions, please see myself or my assistant after the meeting.” Ugh!

Of late my biggest pet peeve and bastardization of the english language is this one phrase……………….”these ones”…….makes me want to go postal. As in “I really like these ones the best”.
It makes one sound instantly stupid!

Susan R On Tuesday, April 15 at 6:53 pm

Gail, I had to laugh when I read this. My mother threatened to wash my mouth out with soap if that phrase crossed my lips JUST ONE MORE TIME. “But Mom, there’s nothing wrong with ‘this one’; why is it incorrect in the plural?” “Because I am the mother and I said so,” was her reply.

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Amy F. On Monday, April 14 at 8:25 pm

How about a lesson on the use of commas. I’m all over the place with them…. HELP!!

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Megan M. On Monday, April 14 at 9:02 pm

How about invincible and invisible? I’m embarrassed to admit that up until about a year ago, I had no idea that invincible was even a word. It may have been something I learned in school, but it definitely didn’t stick with me!

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Sue On Monday, April 14 at 9:11 pm

Maybe this is the reason why there is so much confusion in:
The Very Funny English Language

English, unless you grew up with its eccentricities, can be a rather difficult and confusing language to learn. The rule is that the rule doesn’t always rule.

1. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

2. Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?

3. When the stars are out, they are visible, When the lights are out, they are invisible.

4. If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught?

5. If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

6. C’mon, let’s polish the Polish furniture.

7. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

8. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

9. How can ‘A Slim Chance’ and ‘A Fat Chance’ be the same?

10. How can ‘You’re so cool’ and ‘You’re not so hot’ be different?

11. Why are ‘A Wise man’ and ‘A Wise guy’ opposites?

12. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

13. The bandage was wound around the wound.

14. I did not object to the object.

15. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

16. Boxing rings are square.

17. A guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

18. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

19. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.

20. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

21. The farm was used to produce produce.

22. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France.

23. If brother becomes Brethren, why doesn’t mother become Methren?

24. If tooth becomes teeth, why doesn’t booth become beeth?

25. If one goose becomes two geese, why doesn’t one moose become two meese?

26. If I speak of a foot and you show me your feet, And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?

Ok… Here is my very, very WORST pet peeve! And I see it all the time nowadays.. People that use an apostrophe and s on ANYTHING, ANYTIME when they are wanting to make a word into its plural form! As in… “Book’s for sale”; “CLEARANCE: All battery’s!” WHY, people?! We have books, we have batteries… What is so hard about making things plural that we have to stick apostrophes in ALL OVER???!!! Lol… I’ll stop now… But did these people go to school one time?!

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Jeanne L On Monday, April 14 at 11:07 pm

I’ve noted that people say they are driven crazy or become irate or can’t stand it when they hear or read bad grammar. (I’ve seen it in these comments, too.)

We all have pet peeves (mine is “I’m going to TRY AND visit her”). I suggest that you take a deep breath, folks. Remember about motes and beams in one’s eyes. Be precise in your own language and encourage your children to do the same. Leave others alone and please don’t assume anything about the intelligence of others.

Another Dawn On Tuesday, April 15 at 12:01 am

Au contraire. Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm and I won’t “leave others alone” because it is our mission in life to correct and instruct whenever the occasion arises. We also graciously accept correction, of course.

Jeanne L On Tuesday, April 15 at 7:37 pm

Really? How does that work? Do you correct strangers or only people you know? How do they react? I’m mild mannered, but if you corrected me, even if I deserved it, I would probably dislike you (I would probably thank you, then think you were a jerk.) I try to use proper grammar, but there are times I say “ain’t” or “gonna” or use double negatives for emphasis. When someone types a period after each word in a phrase, I don’t assume that They. Can’t. Put. Together. A. Sentence. It’s for emphasis.

My point was that when people are driven crazy or can’t stand it or HATE HATE HATE some bit of bad grammar, it’s not that important.

Jeanne L On Tuesday, April 15 at 7:59 pm

p.s. An online lesson in grammar is good. Suggesting other examples of poor grammar is also good. Getting upset and/or confronting someone doesn’t appeal to me. To each, his or her own.

Danica On Thursday, May 8 at 11:22 am

Although I will admit that these mistakes do bother me, I tend to agree with the poster who referenced the “motes and beams” quote. One’s worth as a human doesn’t rest on one’s correct or incorrect use of grammar. I feel that some here are getting dangerously close to this assumption.

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Bethany On Monday, April 14 at 11:38 pm

Drilled in me by an English teacher, I now can’t help but hear it when people say phrases like “the most perfect potatoes you’ve ever eaten,” or “she’s a very unique person.” Perfect=perfect and unique=unique, you can’t have degrees of either!

Another Dawn On Monday, April 14 at 11:52 pm

I agree 110%. Or, perhaps 146%. (LOL)

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NikMc On Tuesday, April 15 at 4:44 am

Then vs. Than

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Lucky W On Tuesday, April 15 at 6:58 am

Could of, should of, would of are the phrases that could have, should have, would have driven me completely insane!!

Manda K. On Tuesday, April 15 at 7:34 am

It would never occur to me to say, think, or write “could of.” But I often say “could’ve” or “should’ve.” Unfortunately, they sound identical.

48

BDH On Tuesday, April 15 at 9:58 am

Here’s one for you:
Mute vs. Moot
I really would like to Mute those who can’t tell the difference and use it incorrectly!

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Susanna Jackson On Tuesday, April 15 at 10:27 am

Here’s one
THAT vs WHICH

The example I had was
“broken out into two types of visits WHICH can be broken down by channel . . . ”
Or is it THAT?

I went with “comma which” but not 100% sure.
“broken out into two types of visits, which can be broken down by channel . . . “

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Laura H. On Tuesday, April 15 at 10:34 am

One that I’ve seen recently in a couple of different places – using bazaar instead of bizarre when describing behavior that’s a little out there.

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Gay M On Tuesday, April 15 at 2:02 pm

I hate the way people use broke/broken. Mary broke her arm. Her arm isn’t broke…it’s broken.

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Jana On Tuesday, April 15 at 3:44 pm

I consider myself a Gramm Nazi I hate it when people say ‘reflect back’ – - you can’t reflect back. It’s a double negative. You can reflect, or look back, but you can’t reflect back.

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Vickie On Tuesday, April 15 at 6:11 pm

What about Poor to go along with your Pour and Pore?

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Laura On Tuesday, April 15 at 7:03 pm

I thought I’d point out that “its” is a possessive pronoun, not a possessive adjective.

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Susan On Tuesday, April 15 at 9:32 pm

Sight/site/cite

The tendency to apo’strophe anything with curve’s

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Christina On Tuesday, April 15 at 9:47 pm

The misuse of “I” versus “me”…drives me nuts!

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Gina On Wednesday, April 16 at 3:05 am

course vs. coarse

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Carla On Wednesday, April 16 at 7:36 am

My suggestion: (because I just learned about this myself!)

disperse vs. disburse

59

Debbe On Wednesday, April 16 at 11:53 am

During my school years various English teachers had “pet peeve” words that they took great pains to define for purposes of distinguishing their proper use in our own work product. Over time I know I have heard varying interpretations that may now benefit from some current clarification:

comprise vs compose

assume vs presume (Did Henry M.Stanley use the proper word when encountering Dr. Livingstone in the heart of Africa?)

Kath On Friday, April 18 at 8:45 pm

I just saw this again. Hardy vs Hearty. When I go out for pizza, I want a hardy pizza! I realize that when the words are spoken, they may sound the same, but they are not.

64

Sarah D On Tuesday, April 22 at 10:03 am

I knew I loved you.

65

April On Tuesday, April 22 at 12:36 pm

I just stumbled upon The Pioneer Woman today! She is doing what I have always wanted to do! I’ve already texted a few people telling them about this site!

66

LuAnnC On Tuesday, April 22 at 3:23 pm

Yes! And a new pet peeve, I now hear people from all over the country (and on TV) saying “These ones”!! What’s up with that? I was in a shoe store the other day and the mother said to her adult daughter, “Look at those ones”. To which the daughter replied, “I like these ones”. Oh, it drove me crazy!!!

67

Samantha R. On Tuesday, April 29 at 10:28 am

Oh my gosh! Their and they’re!! and ‘sell and sale’…. There’s a BIG difference!

68

Annie On Thursday, May 1 at 6:43 am

Tics vs. Ticks

While I agree that dealing with the latter may cause the former, they are NOT the same!

69

Annie On Thursday, May 1 at 6:45 am

Or the answer to any question that begins, “Do you mind…?” The answer is, “No, I don’t mind,” or, “Yes, I mind.” So if someone says, “Do you mind if I come in?” the answer is not, “Sure, come on in!”

70

Anne On Sunday, May 4 at 8:47 pm

Unique. SO unique. The MOST unique. VERY unique. If unique means “one of a kind”, how can something be more one of a kind than something else? “One of a kind-er”? “Unique-er”?

71

Dinah On Wednesday, May 7 at 9:41 pm

Anyways.

72

Lori On Saturday, May 17 at 4:01 pm

How and when did “myself” become a personal pronoun? “Myself and so and so did such and such.” “This is the first time so and so and myself have been to such and such.” I hear it all day, every day at work and I’ve noticed it repeatedly on TV in interviews, etc. Where did this start? When will it end?? And don’t get me started on ‘apostrophe s’ for plurals.

73

Cait On Tuesday, June 10 at 11:42 am

Probably too late for this to be noted. I scream at books, TV etc re ‘bring and take’!

74

sandy keefe On Tuesday, June 10 at 5:37 pm

The one I can’t STAND because it reflects laziness and lack of in-depth education is the phrase I’m bored OF ….
I researched this, and while it is technically correct as opposed to bored with or bored by, it is technically correct because it’s in common usage! ugh. It’s in common usage because the majority of those who use it are common.

75

Wendy Mc On Wednesday, June 11 at 11:08 am

“Where at?” Like fingernails on a blackboard.

76

Sheila On Monday, June 23 at 4:01 pm

A – AN

Using the correct way, there is a difference in the placement of these simple words.

Correct: You look like an angel.
Incorrect: You look like a angel. This type of grammar drives me nuts!

I also think people need to slow down and think about how they are structuring their sentences; it really does help with the correct spelling.

77

jeanneb On Monday, July 7 at 5:11 pm

How about “Apparently” vs. “Obviously”?! Are they totally interchangeable??? I’ve always had this vague sense that the former is used when there’s a possibility an assumption is wrong. “She didn’t show up. Apparently she didn’t get the message”.

Obviously then, “obviously” would be used when there is no doubt. “He obviously put a lot of thought and effort into the meal he cooked for us”.

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